Indoor golf devices



May 29,

Filed Oct. 14, 1953 s. CUTLER 2,747,406

INDOOR GOLF DEVICES 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. 5AM CUTLER May 29, 1956 s. CUTLER INDOOR GOLF DEVICES 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 14, 1953 INVENTOR. 5AM CUTLER AFTER/VF) May 29, 1956 Filed Oct. 14, 1953 S. CUTLER INDOOR GOLF DEVICES 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. 5AM CUTLER United States Patent INDOOR GOLF DEVICES Sam Cutler, Yonkers, N. Y.

Application October 14, 1953, Serial No. 385,930

Claims. (Cl. 73--379) This invention relates to a device for practicing golf. More particularly, the invention has reference to a device which permits one to practice driving, iron shots, etc., indoors, in a manner particularly intended to facilitate measurement of the distance the ball would travel were it a conventional golf ball, hit in the regular manner.

One important object of the invention is to provide a device of the type stated that will include a generally improved means for measuring the distance the ball would travel. 7

Another important object is to include in the apparatus a means for braking the ball after it is hit, at the point of furthest movement thereof.

Another object is to simplify the construction of a device of the type described, so as to permit its manufacture at a minimum of cost.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. l is a top plan view of a golf practice apparatus formed in accordance with the present invention, a golf club being illustrated fragmentarily as it would appear immediately prior to striking the simulated golf ball of the structure.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a plan sectional view on line 44 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged elevational view, partly broken away, of the swingable ball element assembly, per se.

Fig. 6 is an elevational view of said assembly taken from the right of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view on line 77 of Pig. 5.

Fig. 8 is a plan view of a measurement gauge embodie in the device.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged, fragmentary side elevational view of the ball element assembly and the braking means.

Fig; 10 is a fragmentary perspective view of the bottom plate of the housing and of the braking and release assemblies carried thereby.

The reference numeral 10 has been applied generally to a housing, which may be formed of sheet metal material readily cut and stamped to the desired shape. The housing includes a platform 12 having a horizontal, flat, rectangular top portion on which the user stands. The top portion is integral or otherwise made rigid with depending side and end walls 12, which can'as shown be formed with sloped upper edge portions 16.

Also part of the housing is a flat, rectangular, supporting-surface-engaging bottom plate 18 having uniformly spaced, countersunk, smooth-walled apertures 20 in its marginal area (Figs. 3 and 10) receiving screws 22 threaded into openings 24 provided in an inwardly extending peripheral flange 26 integrally formed upon the lower edges of the side and end walls of the platform 12.-

At one end of the platform, at a location where they will not interfere with swinging of a golf club C, openings 28 are formed in the platform. These register with up wardly facing sockets 30 (Fig. 3) mounted on the bottom plate, so that golf clubs may be supported when not in use by extension thereof through the openings with their han dles engaged in the sockets.

The apparatus includes, as important components thereof, a ball element assembly 32, a gauge assembly 34, a braking or stop mechanism 36, and a declutching or release assembly 38, each of which will be described in turn.

The ball element assembly 32 includes a ball element 40 which may be formed in close simulation to, and from the same materials as, a conventional golf ball. The ball element is supported above the platform at a location approximating that at which a golf ball would be teed, by an arm 42 that is normally vertically disposed, the arm having a tapered upper end portion formed with a concavity in which the ball element is seated. The ball element is anchored to the arm by a screw 44 extending through a smooth-walled, diametrically arranged opening 46 (Fig. 5) formed in the ball element, said opening being countersunk to receive the screw head. The screw threads into a threaded, axial recess 48 formed in the upper end of the arm. This construction permits replacement of the ball element whenever such replacement is necessary owing to wear thereof.

Arm 42 is extended through a transverse slot 50 formed in the top portion of the platform, and within the housing is integrally provided with laterally projecting trunnions 52 rotatable in bearings 54 mounted on the bights of support brackets 56 of inverted U shape bolted to and extending upwardly from the bottom plate. The arm is thus pivotally mounted in the housing for swinging movement in a vertical plane, and when the ball element is struck by the club C, the arm will swing from its vertical position in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 3.

18. The pinion 66 constitutes part of the gauge assembly 34, and is keyed or otherwise made rotatable with a flexible shaft 70 extending to a measuring gauge housing 72. Gauge housing 72 is supported upon a U-shaped stand 74 bolted to and extending upwardly from the bottom plate.

The housing 72 is provided with an upwardly faced dial 76 seen through a sight window 78 cut in the platform 12. A magnifying lens 80 is secured in place over the sight window by a retaining ring 82, thus to permit a reading to be taken with ease by one standing upon the platform in position to strike the ball element. a

The dial may be calibrated in any manner desired, but

preferably is marked oil to designate the number of yards that a conventional golf ball, hit with the same force as the ball element, would travel under normal conditions.

Thus, the dial, as shown in Fig. 8, is marked to designate yards traveled in units of fifty yards. An index arm 84, connected to the flexible shaft by means which can include a gear train, not shown, is adapted to traverse the scale of the dial when the flexible shaft is rotatably moved responsive to swinging of the arm 42. The gear train; would be mounted in the gauge housing, and is considered 1C6 Patented May 29, 1956- tobe sufiiciently obvious to :those skilled in the art as not to require special, illustration herein. It is believed sufiicient to note that the gearing can be so computed as to permit a partial rotation of the flexible shaft, through perhaps-sixty degrees of a circle, to be effective to impart a. greater amount of rotatable movement to the index arm. Thus, rotation of the flexible shaft through forty-five degrees of a circle might be adapted to elfect rotation of the index arm throughininety degrees, if desired.

The braking or stop means for the ball element assembly is utilized to halt the'swinging motion of arm 42 in the direction of the arrow in 'Fig. 3, at the point of furthest travel thereof. The purpose of halting said motion, and of holding the arm at said point rather than permitting the return spring 58 to exert its pull toreposition the arm vertically, is to allow the user time to observe the dial.

To allow its being acted upon by the braking means, the arm 42 is integrally formed, adjacent the ball element 40, with a short,.;arcuate shoe 86 curved in an are having as its center the pivot axis of the aim. Shoe 86 is formed with a roughened outer-face frictionally contacting the roughened outer face of an elongated, arcuat'e member 88, also curved in an are about the center of pivotal movement of the arm. Member 88 is continuously forced into contact with the shoe by apair of coil springs 90 engaged at oneend in sockets provided in the inner face of the member 88, and at their other ends in sockets 92 mounted on an upstanding support plate 94. Plate 94 is of right angular shape, and has a horizontal bottom flange bolted to the bottom plate18 of the housing. 7

The pressure of the springs 90 is such as to cause the holding member 88 to frictionally grip the shoe when the arm is swung under the impact of the blowreceived from the club C. As a result, a reading can be taken from the dial, since holding of the arm 42 will cause the index arm of the gauge to remain at its point of furthest travel.

It will be understood that the dial calibrations will be selected after due consideration has been given to the amount of force required to advance the index arm to given points on the dial, in the light of the restraint imposed on the arm 42, and hence on advance of the index arm, by the relatively light return spring '58 and the spring-pressed, roughened, shoe-contacting braking memher.

After the reading has been taken, the arm is returned to its normal position awaiting the next swing of the golf club. The release means 38 is used for this purpose, it being merely necessary to depress a foot pedal 96 to retract the braking member. The pedal or treadle'96 has a roughened rubber pad on its uppersurface against which a downward pressure may be exerted by ones foot. The pedal is conveniently located at one corner of the platform, and is held in elevated position, normally, by a vertically extending post 98 projecting upwardly through an aperture formed in the platform. The post is pivotally connected at its lower end to the bifurcated outer end of a crank arm 100 rigid at its inner end with a rock shaft 102 journalled in spaced bearings 104 mounted on the bottom plate 18.

Secured to the-rock shaft for rotation therewith is a pinion 106 in mesh with a series of rack teeth 108 provided on one end of a horizontally reciprocable release bar 110 slidably mounted for movement in the direction of the length of the housing.

That end portion of the bar 110 having teeth 108 is slidably supported in a groove of a guide bracket 112. The other end of the bar 110 slides in an opening formed in the plate 94. Adjacent the plate 94, the release bar has an upwardly projecting extension 114 bolted to the braking or holding member 88.

When the treadle is depressed, the rock shaft will be partially rotated to an extent suflicient to impart movement:to the release barin the-directioniof the arrow in from engagement with the :shoe 86, thus permitting .the

return spring 58 to pull the arm 42 back to its normal position.

From the above, it is seen that a highly simplified golf practice machine is provided, that will provide a measurement of each shot made with a conventional golf club by a user. 1

A highly desirable characteristic of the invention resides in the mounting of practically-all moving parts thereof on the bottom plate before assembly of the bottom plate with the platform. After the platform is placed over said parts, the pedal 96 is screwed onto the upstanding post 98, and the ball element is secured'to the arm 42, and with the platform bolted'to the bottom plate, the device is ready for use. a

It is to be understood that a-suitable coin operating mechanism may be included in this device and installed in public places where anyone may freely use this golf practice apparatus by inserting the required coin in the slot. 7

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of myinvention, it is to be understood that I do notlimit myself to the precise construction herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changesand modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus describedmy invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secureby United States Letters Patent -1. A golf practice device comprising a housing including a platform, a ball element assembly mounted in said housing and including a swingable arm and a ballelement on the arm, gauge means operatively connected to the arm and adapted to provide a reading signifying to a user the force with which the ball element is struck bya golf club, means for halting the movement of the arm at its point of furthest travel, and means under the control of a user for returning the arm to a normal position at which said ball element is-properly located for striking thereof by said club, said means for halting the arm movement including a shoe on said arm and a spring-pressed holding member mounted in the housing and frictionally gripping the shoe, said means under the control of a user for. returning the armto normal position including a .de-

' pressiblepedal having aconnection to said holding member effective for retracting the holding member out of engagement with the shoe.

2. A golf practice device comprising a housing including a platforrn,.a ball. element assembly mounted in said housing and including a swingable amend a ball element on the arm, .gaugemeans operatively connected to the arm and adapted to provide. a reading signifying to a user the force'with which the ball element is struck by a golf club, means for halting-the movement of the arm at its point of furthest travel, and means under the control of a user 'for returning the arm to a normal position at which said'. ball elementisproperly located for striking thereof by said club, said means for halting the arm movement including. a shoe on said arm and a spring-pressed holding member'mounted-in the housing and frictionally gripping the shoe, said holding memberbeing spring-pressed in the direction 'of the shoe andbeing shiftable in a direction away from said shoe to permit returnof the arm to its normal position.

3. A golf practice device comprising a housing including a platform, a ball element assembly mounted in said housing and including a swingable arm and a ball element onthe arm, gauge means operatively connected to the arm and adapted to provide a reading signifying to a'user the force with which the ball element is struck by a golf club,

means for halting the movement of the arm at its point of furthestitravel, means under the control of a user for returningthe arm:to a normal position at which said ball element is properly located for striking thereof by said club,-said means for halting the arm movement including a shoe *on-said armand a spring-pressed holding member mounted in the housing and frictionally gripping the shoe, the means under the control of a user including a depressible foot pedal mounted above the platform, and a motion-translating connection between the foot pedal and holding member arranged to shift the holding member out of contact with the shoe responsive to depression of the foot pedal.

4. A golf practice device comprising a housing including a platform, a ball element assembly mounted in said housing and including a swingable arm and a ball element on the arm, gauge means operatively connected to the arm and adapted to provide a reading signifying to a user the force with which the ball element is struck by a golf club, means for halting the movement of the arm at its point of furthest travel, means under the control of a user for re turning the arm to a normal position at which said ball element is properly located for striking thereof by said club, said means for halting the arm movement including a shoe on said arm and a spring-pressed holding member mounted in the housing and frictionally gripping the shoe, the means under the control of a user including a depressible foot pedal mounted above the platform, a mo tion-translating connection between the foot pedal and holding member arranged to shift the holding member out of contact with the shoe responsive to depression of the foot pedal, the motion-translating connection including a horizontally reciprocable bar attached to the holding member, rack teeth on said bar, a pinion in mesh with said rack teeth, a rock shaft rotatable with the pinion, and a crank on the rock shaft connected with the pedal.

5. A golf practice device comprising a housing including a plafiorm, a ball element assembly mounted in said housing and including a swingable arm and a ball element on the arm, gauge means operatively connected to the arm and adapted to provide a reading signifying to a user the force With which the ball element is struck by a golf club, means for halting the movement of the arm at its point of furthest travel, means under the control of a user for returning the arm to a normal position at which said ball element is properly located for striking thereof by said club, said means for halting the arm movement including a shoe on said arm and a springpressed holding member mounted in the housing and frictionally gripping the shoe, the means under the control of a user including a depressible foot pedal mounted above the platform, a motion-translating connection between the foot pedal and holding member arranged to shift the holding member out of contact with the shoe responsive to depression of the foot pedal, the motiontranslating connection including a horizontally reciprocable bar attached to the holding member, rack teeth on said bar, a pinion in mesh with said rack teeth, a rock shaft rotatable with the pinion, and a crank on the rock shaft connected with the pedal, said motion-translating connection further including a post pivotally attached to the crank and supporting the pedal to provide the connection between the crank and rock shaft.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,018,291 Thompson Oct. 22, 1935 2,069,650 Engh Feb. 2, 1937 2,109,551 Sacher Mar. 1, 1938 2,240,691 Drachenberg May 6, 1941 2,245,739 Thomas June 17, 1941 

